Curriculum & Tech Time: Hour of Code

Why should I include coding in my elementary curriculum?Code.org sums up the situation nicely: Computer science drives innovation in the U.S. economy and society. Despite growing demand for jobs in the field, it remains marginalized throughout the U.S. K-12 education system.

Kindergarten Ideas​-Happy Maps students create simple algorithms to move a character through a maze using a single command.-Move the Flurbs students create algorithms to move a character through a maze using multiple commands. -Jigsaw an online tutorial that helps students learn to drag and drop elements in preparation for snap style coding.

1st Grade Ideas-Move the Flurbs students create algorithms to move a character through a maze using multiple commands. -Maze an online tutorial where students click and drag elements to move a character with snap style coding. -Daisy the Dinosaur (free app) has an easy drag and drop interface that kids of all ages can use to animate Daisy to dance across the screen

2nd Grade Ideas-Frozen Hour of Code uses code to help Elsa and Anna explore the magic and beauty of ice.-Flappy Bird Hour of Code ​allows you to program your own game in less than 10 minutes. -Cargo-Bot app (free) is a puzzle game where you teach a robot how to move crates and learn basic programming concepts.

3rd Grade Ideas-Minecraft Hour of Code uses blocks of code to take Steve or Alex on an adventure through this Minecraft world.-Frozen Hour of Code uses code to help Elsa and Anna explore the magic and beauty of ice. -Code Monster features 2 adjacent boxes. One displays code, the other shows what the code does. As you play around with the code with some help from a prompt, you learn what each command does-Code Your Name jewelry. Use binary code to create a name bracelet with pipe cleaner and beads.

4th Grade Ideas-Minecraft Hour of Code uses blocks of code to take Steve or Alex on an adventure through this Minecraft world.-Star Wars Hour of Code uses code to program droids to create a Star Wars game in a galaxy far, far away. -Scratch (free download) create stories, games and animations.

5th Grade Ideas-Star Wars Hour of Code uses code to program droids to create a Star Wars game in a galaxy far, far away. -Scratch (free download) create stories, games and animations-Stencyl (free download) the quickest and easiest way to make a game. Design once, play anywhere.

5 Steps to Start Coding:

Get connected to organizations that promote computer science (code.org or Code Studio)

You don't need to be 1:1. Coding is a language that involves logic. Try an "unplugged" activities.

Trust the Kids. Provide guidance but allow the students to be the drivers.

Don't go it alone. Reach out to parents or community members for help.

Make it fun. Make sure you choose age-appropriate resources so students can make growth.